How to plan an organized and stress-free vacation can seem like a pipe dream for most people. Vacation planning can be very exciting, but it can also be a little overwhelming. Especially if you’re going for many days or planning for several people. So, let’s keep the excitement going by getting you super organized!

Start with a travel bucket list

Create a travel bucket list to get all your ideas on paper. Don’t get caught up on this being the biggest and best vacations you can think of. You can have multiple bucket lists organized by type, who’s going or cost. Having a list just helps narrow down your next trip.

Your travel bucket list should include: type of trip/occasion, location(s), and why you want to go there.

Create a “must haves” checklist

What are your travel must haves? Think about the things you enjoy while on vacation, from your accommodations to activities available. This checklist will also help narrow down where you want to go.

Your checklist might include: How you’ll get there, what season/weather you prefer, what type of accommodations you like and amenities offered, location preferences (beach, mountains, etc), and activities or events in the area.

Narrow down your options

Use your bucket list and must haves checklist to help you narrow down 2-4 locations. Then research those options and give each one a rating. The one with the highest rating is the winner!

Things to consider: Locations(s), how will you get there, things to do, pros and cons.

Time to do some research

Now that you have your location, it’s time to research flights, hotels, and transportation.

Similarly to how you narrowed down your location options, choose 2-4 options and give them ratings. 

You’ll also want to consider customer ratings and reviews, dates available, flight arrival/departure times, lodging check-in/check-out times, rental car pick up/drop off locations and of course total cost for each.

Pro tip: Create a “trip info” sheet to keep your final choices in one location.

Plan your budget

Unless you have unlimited funds, it’s wise to have a budget that you can stick to. You’ll want to include everything you can think of in this budget to give you the best idea of how much money you’re likely to spend.

Use your must haves, location option, flight, lodging and car rental research to help you come up with your list of things to budget for.

What should be in your budget plan: travel + accommodations, planned activities, groceries (if you plan to cook while you’re there), dining out, toiletries, pet sitter, what needs to be purchased ahead of time (clothing, luggage, etc) entertainment, souvenirs, and transportation costs (like fuel or an uber).

Vacation checklist + shopping list

It’s time to plan what needs to be done before you go! Make a master to-do list and then break it down into one month out, two weeks out, one week out, day before, and day of trip.

Then make a shopping list of whatever needs to be purchased before your trip. These are things that should also be on your budget plan!

Build a weekly and daily itinerary

This can be as general or as detailed as you want it to be. I like to include things like planned activities, the weather forecast and a daily budget with space to fill in expenses from the day. As well as, any must eat at restaurants/reservations.

Pro tip: make a contact list for your planned activities!

Time to pack!

To avoid overpacking, start with an outfit vision board. Take a look at the weather forecast and your planned activities to determine the right clothing and footwear for each day. Write in a description of the item or, if you’re using a tablet/iPad, take pictures and drag them into your note taking app. 

Once you have your vision board done, you can make your packing list based on your outfit choices. Don’t forget to include toiletries and other essentials!

Make your friends and family wonder how on earth your trips are so organized with my Vacation Planner that includes planning pages to organize everything on this list and more!

Plan your next trip with this 27 page vacation planner including 19 unique templates

• Bucketlist
• Must Haves
• Vacation Options
• Lodging, Flights, Car Rental Research
• Budget
• Contact Info
• Shopping List
• Vacation Checklist
• Trip Info
• Daily and Weekly Itineraries
• Outfit Vision Board
• Daily Outfit Planner
• Packing Cheklist
• Space for Additional Notes